lenny

Gratitude Garden Growers

user image

Lesson Plan

Gratitude Garden Growers

Students will be able to identify and express gratitude for people, things, and experiences in their lives.

Cultivating gratitude at a young age helps students develop emotional well-being, foster a positive outlook, and appreciate the good things around them. This skill builds resilience and promotes kindness.

Audience

Pre-K-2nd Grade Students

Time

45-60 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, creative drawing activity, and sharing to reinforce gratitude.

Materials

Gratitude Garden Growers Slide Deck, Construction paper (various colors), Crayons or colored pencils, Scissors (child-safe), Glue sticks, and Gratitude Garden Worksheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What is Gratitude?

10 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What does it mean to be thankful?" (5 minutes)
    - Use the Gratitude Garden Growers Slide Deck to introduce the concept of gratitude through simple, relatable examples. (5 minutes)

Step 2

Our Gratitude Garden Activity

25 minutes

  • Introduce the "Gratitude Garden" concept. Explain that just like plants need care to grow, our gratitude grows when we think about and share the good things. (5 minutes)
    - Distribute the Gratitude Garden Worksheet and ask students to draw or write (depending on age/ability) things they are grateful for inside the flower shapes. Encourage them to think about people, toys, pets, food, or experiences. (10 minutes)
    - Students will then cut out their gratitude flowers and glue them onto a large piece of construction paper (their

Step 3

Share and Reflect

10 minutes

  • Invite students to share one or two things from their Gratitude Garden with the class. (7 minutes)
    - Conclude by emphasizing that practicing gratitude makes us feel happy and helps us notice all the wonderful things in our lives. (3 minutes)
lenny

Slide Deck

Welcome to Our Gratitude Garden!

What does it mean to be thankful?

Welcome students and introduce the idea of thankfulness. Ask a few open-ended questions to get them thinking.

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is feeling thankful and appreciating the good things in our lives!

It's like saying "thank you" in your heart and out loud.

Explain what gratitude is in simple terms. Use examples like saying "thank you" or feeling happy about something good.

Things to Be Thankful For

Who or what makes you feel happy?

  • Your family
  • Your friends
  • Your pets
  • Your favorite toys
  • Delicious food
  • A sunny day to play!

Give examples of things they might be grateful for: family, friends, pets, toys, sunny days, food.

Grow Your Own Gratitude Garden!

Imagine a special garden where every flower is something you are thankful for.

Today, we will create our own Gratitude Gardens!

Introduce the "Gratitude Garden" concept. Explain that each flower will represent something they are thankful for. Show them the worksheet.

How to Plant Your Gratitude Flower

  1. Think of something you are thankful for.
  2. Draw or write it on a flower from your worksheet.
  3. Cut out your flower.
  4. Glue it onto your garden paper!

Explain the activity: draw or write things they are grateful for on the flower cutouts from the worksheet. Encourage creativity.

Share Your Garden's Beauty

Let's share our gratitude flowers!

What did you put in your Gratitude Garden?

Sharing makes our gratitude grow even bigger!

Facilitate a sharing session. Encourage students to share one or two flowers from their garden. Emphasize listening respectfully.

Keep Your Gratitude Growing!

When we feel thankful, we feel happy!

Remember to look for the good things every day.

Your heart will feel like a beautiful, blooming garden!

Conclude by reiterating the benefits of gratitude and encouraging them to practice it daily.

lenny

Activity

Gratitude Garden Activity

Objective: To create a visual representation of personal gratitude.

Materials:

  • Gratitude Garden Worksheet (one per student)
  • Construction paper (one large sheet per student, for the garden base)
  • Crayons or colored pencils
  • Child-safe scissors
  • Glue sticks

Instructions:

  1. Design Your Flowers (10-15 minutes): Take your Gratitude Garden Worksheet. On each flower, draw or write something you are thankful for. It could be a person, a pet, a toy, a special food, or a fun memory! Remember, your flowers should show all the good things in your life.











  2. Cut Them Out (5-10 minutes): Carefully cut out each of your gratitude flowers along the lines. Take your time!



  3. Plant Your Garden (10-15 minutes): Take your large piece of construction paper. This is your very own garden! Glue your gratitude flowers onto your construction paper to create a beautiful garden. You can draw grass, sunshine, or anything else to make your garden special!











  4. Share Your Harvest (Optional): When your garden is complete, you can share your favorite flower or two with a friend or the class. Tell them why you are thankful for that thing!

lenny
lenny

Worksheet

My Gratitude Garden Worksheet

Name: ________________________

Instructions: Think about all the good things in your life. In each flower below, draw a picture or write a word about something you are thankful for! When you're done, carefully cut out your flowers to plant in your Gratitude Garden!

Flower 1: What makes you happy?













Flower 2: Who do you love?













Flower 3: What is your favorite thing to do?













Flower 4: What is something you are thankful for at school?













Flower 5: What is a special memory you have?













Flower 6: What is something you are thankful for in nature?













lenny
lenny